Review LISTOWEL 21ST SEP

Cheltenham festival-winner and six-time champion jockey Colin Keane scored on his first ride of the new Flat season today, landing the Curragh’s Nua CLaD Hub Irish EBF Maiden on Breaking Dawn (2/1f).

Barry Connell is optimistic it will be “all systems go” for the Punchestown Festival with Marine Nationale, who is due to recommence training on Monday.

Dad (Paul Mulligan) was a jockey himself, and we always had ponies around the place - I was on them for as long as I can remember. I always rode different ones around the yard for dad. Then when I got a bit older, I started pony racing and I was mad keen to be a jockey. I suppose Colin Keane would have been my idol. He was always around at home because dad used to work for Colin's father Gerry. I always thought that I wanted to do the same as Colin. He would have given me tips on riding when I was pony racing. I was pony racing from about 10 to 16, but I missed a good bit of it with Covid-19. I could have missed two seasons because of that. I rode nine winners I think on ponies. I was only five and a-half stone and dad wouldn't let me ride the horses.